


Out of Alignment

by hyuckaboo



Series: NCT Adventuring Guild [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Ambiguous Relationships, Conflict Resolution, D&D inspired, Gen, Jaemin's a little naughty, Jeno is a good boy, Multi, NCT as an adventuring guild, Paladin Jeno, Renjun is over it, Rogue Jaemin, The power of friendship, Warlock Renjun, some violence but not very graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24167659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyuckaboo/pseuds/hyuckaboo
Summary: In the aftermath of what should have been a simple quest, Renjun, Jaemin, and Jeno find themselves at odds. But even when their bonds are tested, they hold strong.(Sometimes alignment differences make things more complicated than they need to be.)
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Series: NCT Adventuring Guild [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1744261
Comments: 17
Kudos: 69





	Out of Alignment

**Author's Note:**

> The only things I think about anymore are kpop and dnd, so this series has been a long time coming for me! Hope you enjoy (knowledge of dungeons and dragons might be helpful but isn't necessary to enjoy!)

Jaemin or Jeno typically handle any situations where they need talk to people, but they’re too busy arguing over moral relativity to step up and help. Normally, Renjun would just wait them out so they can take care of it. Things don’t go as… smoothly when he tries to handle things like this (“The carnival incident!” Jeno and Jaemin typically squeal delightedly any time it is even obliquely referenced, or sometimes just out of the blue because they love to torture Renjun). But this has been an exhausting day. He’s nearly drained of spells, is suffering a worsening headache, and is running dangerously thin on patience. None of them had expected their job to recover a stolen heirloom to turn into a stand off with a small army of constructs and an unhinged artificer attempting to use the heirloom as a focus in a ritual that could level a small city. 

Renjun would be a hypocrite if he said he didn’t understand the appeal of exacting revenge for a dead family regardless of collateral damage, but business is business. Jeno and Jaemin took things more personally, adding a whole other unpleasant element to an already trying battle. The sooner they can get word to Taeyong, and subsequently their wealthy and anxious client, the sooner they can all rest, so Renjun sighs and approaches the courier clerk across the road.

He pitches his voice loud enough to hopefully drown out his party members’ squabble. “Good evening…”

By the time he finishes part bribing, part threatening the poor clerk into dashing off to the docks to slip their coded missive in with the rest of the confidential mail about to be sent to the capital that night, Jeno and Jaemin are still going at it. He didn’t catch what Jaemin said, but Jeno is… quoting scripture back? It seems like they’re doing their best to avoid talking about the actual issue lodged between them while in public. They trail after Renjun as he leads them back through the streets of the small port city towards their lodgings.

Sure enough, as soon as the three of them reach their room in the inn and Renjun has warded the door, Jaemin spits, “I’m not fucking sorry, Jeno, he had it coming.”

“It was completely unnecessary! We had already gotten the chalice, and already won the fight. He had surrendered!”

“He didn’t deserve to surrender,” Jaemin ground back. “You know how he was planning to use that artifact, how many people could have been killed.”

“You maimed him, Jaemin! He would never have been able to do honest work again!” An angry Jeno is a rare sight. He’s often passionate, but he’s definitely edging himself closer to full fury than Renjun likes. He idly wonders if he ought to intervene, but he knows that if they don’t work this out between themselves, they’ll just end up sulking for the entire journey back to the guild hall. 

“No, I _ tried _ to maim him!” Jaemin is gesturing with a dagger now, a terrible habit, but Renjun knows he would never actually lash out with it. Anger is an unusual look on him too, but even in rage he would never hurt one of them. “How lucky for him that you were there to restore his undeserving ass. I’m sure in a few months he’ll be off plotting another scheme endangering others. You know if it had just been Renjun and I on this job, that scum would be dead, right?”

“Jaemin!” Jeno’s frustration crests. “You know the principals I swore to follow. Everyone deserves a second chance! You got one, didn’t you?”

This was clearly not the right thing to say. Jaemin blanches, then flushes crimson. “So that’s how you see me? In the same boat as that psychopath? I did what I needed to do to survive on the streets as a kid, Jeno. That bastard— and you heard what he called Renjun!”

Renjun blinks, startled as both their attentions shift to him. Concern breaks through the indignation on Jeno’s face, and he abruptly breaks away from Jaemin to hover over Renjun. 

“Renjun, you know what he said… It isn’t true.” Renjun is still trying to recover from the whiplash of that sudden change. It is very typically Jeno to worry that Renjun might take being called a “demon’s tit-sucking bitch” personally, but he’s heard much worse. 

He laughs. “Jeno, I’m a warlock; he might have put it crassly, but it wasn’t exactly false.”

Apparently Jeno is not the only one choosing the wrong words tonight. Jeno’s brows crease once more. “I know you don’t like to talk about it, but we really can try to break your pact… set you free. You’re a good person, Renjun, you deserve to be free.”

This is not a new argument. Renjun is convinced that Jeno would see the good even in the most wretched and twisted creatures. The paladin will never understand why Renjun would choose to remain pacted with a demon for power, or even that it really isn’t a choice. His world is so… black and white, but nearly all white. It’s as frustrating as it is endearing. Rather than entertain the argument again, Renjun just sighs and strokes his fingers through Jeno’s blonde locks, then traces them down his cheek. As he pulls his hand away, Jeno reaches out and interlaces their fingers, and Renjun lets him, squeezing softly.

“I’m too tired to talk about this tonight… or to listen to you two bicker any longer. We accomplished what we set out to accomplish, and none of us got injured— we should at least be happy about that. Please, can we just get some sleep?”

Jeno nods guiltily and steps away, fumbling with the buckles of his armor. Jaemin watches him blankly for several moments, before shaking his head. “I’m going out,” he spits, and slips out the window a breath later. Renjun stares at the empty window frame for a few moments before choosing a bed to curl up on. He smothers the small lick of hurt he feels curling around his heart. Jaemin will come back when he’s ready. Hopefully he’ll work out all his irritation and the tension will ease by morning. With that hope, Renjun slips into slumber, lulled by the sounds of Jeno rattling about as he gets settled in for the night. 

—

It isn’t often Renjun has pleasant dreams, especially after such an eventful day, so he really should have suspected something was amiss from the get go. As it is, the moment he turns away from the tranquil ocean scene before him, he’s surprised to find himself face to face with a demon perched on the pier beside him. 

She’s in her favorite humanoid form to use with him, eyes as black as the inky hair cascading past her shoulders in perfect waves. The form has changed over the years, growing older in the way its original model never would. She smiles at him, dazzling and dangerous. “Hello, my favorite little puppet!”

“How can I serve you, mistress?” Renjun forces his expression and tone neutral. Maybe for once they can get right to business and he can still catch a few more hours of rest.

Predictably, she pouts. “So polite, Renjun-ah. Why don’t you ever want to play with me? You were so much funner when you were a kid… so much easier to rile up.”

“You know I’ve had a long day. Just tell me what you want so I can get back to sleep. I’m sure you have better things to do, other people to annoy…” He cuts himself off. So much for not playing her game. Krystal, one of the demon queens of hell, is better at getting under his skin than even Haechan at his worst.

“Ah, there’s the sass I love to see! Though you really shouldn’t be so rude, Junnie…” She smirks at him and her eyes flash to a more natural brown, the same shade as his own. “Didn’t your sister teach you better than that?”

Renjun closes his eyes and takes a few breaths, reminding himself that trying to battle an ancient demon of immense power within a dreamscape of her own creation could only ever end poorly. “Yes, mistress.” He doesn’t open his eyes until he knows he can control his expression. 

She sneers. “How boring. Unfortunately, you’re right, I do have other matters to attend to. But I came with a task for you to do tonight. Lucky you!”

“You honor me,” he responds as dryly as possible. “What it is.”

“Only the best for my favorite pawn! It’s so fortunate you headed this far south west for your little job. The coasts of Lake Galla hold so many gems, and you’re right nearby one of particular interest to me!” She gestures, and the planks of the pier shift, an image of a map forming. Renjun recognizes the town they’re currently in by the layout of the streets and the shape of the coast. The map builds outward from the inn they’re staying in, then overlays a path in glowing purple from the inn down towards the coast and south a short ways. “A small cave system can be found here, in this valley. It’s well hidden, and from what I’ve heard, tales of spirits keep the local humans away. It used to be a cultist’s camp, but they got wiped out by some adventurers a few years back. Now it’s a grave for a former toy of my sister’s. Poor bitch died in that fight and Luna collected on her soul before her friends could try to bring her back.” She laughs, and the sound of it raises the hair on the back of Renjun’s neck. “They buried her there instead, all her gear included, her grimoire being of particular interest. Unfortunately, they also made her resting spot hallowed ground, so I haven’t been able to swoop in and get it myself. Aren’t I lucky I have you to be my little grave robber!”

Renjun’s head has started to ache again. He knows better than to ask why Krystal wants the grimoire of one of her sister’s former lackeys; the politics of the hells are bizarre and Krystal trying to get intel to screw over one of her sisters for whatever reason is pretty par for course. To his knowledge, she and Luna weren’t currently at war, but alliances were flimsy things when demons are involved. This was definitely a pain in the ass, but digging up a book is one of the easier tasks he’d been assigned while in Krystal’s service.

“As you wish, mistress. When must it be done?”

“No time like the present, I’d say! I’m going to need it in a few hours before a little…. meeting I have planned. Up and at ‘em!”

Renjun abruptly awakens, still curled up how he went to sleep. He’s mildly put out that he’s alone on the bed, and glances around, sighing when he catches sight of Jeno asleep not on the other bed but on the floor. Either punishing himself or trying to extend an olive branch to Jaemin by giving him the pick of sleeping with Renjun or getting his own bed; what an idiot. He sits up, and startles slightly as he notices Jaemin sitting against the wall, tossing some sort of fruit up and down. He seems similarly started to see Renjun awake, and sets the fruit to the side before joining him on the bed and promptly latching onto him.

“Bad dreams, Renjunnie?”

“Not quite.” Both of them are speaking softly, but given that Jeno sleeps like the dead it probably isn’t necessary. “What have you been up to?”

“Broke into the mayor’s manor and took a look around. Grabbed a couple fruits from the kitchens I thought we might have for breakfast; some of them might be from the east? I didn’t recognize them all.”

Renjun hums. “That’s a good thought. You ought to get some sleep though. I need to go out, I’ll try to be back before dawn.”

“Out where?” Jaemin tightens his grip on Renjun’s shirt. “…is this warlock shit?”

“Yup. Krystal needs me to run a brief errand, really shouldn’t take long.”

“You should know better than to think I’m going to let you go out alone tonight, even if you weren’t still wiped out from earlier.”

“I got a little rest, at least. You’re probably dead on your feet.” Renjun rolls his eyes but doesn’t protest further. Jaemin would just shadow him from afar if he didn’t let him come with him. “Should we leave a note for Jeno? Or just hope we get back before he wakes for his dawn prayers?”

“Oof, jot him a quick note just in case, but let’s hope for the latter, I really don’t want to get into it with him again.” Renjun nods in agreement. Robbing a grave on his demon patron’s behalf is definitely not the sort of thing Jeno would condone. He busies himself getting his gear together and lacing up his boots as Jaemin wrestles a pillow under Jeno’s head and tosses a blanket over him. They leave a slip of paper on Renjun’s bed to tell Jeno they’ll be back by morning.

The two slip out the door and head down to the shore. At this time of night the town is still and silent, no one is around to bat an eye when Jaemin grabs a shovel out of some hapless townsperson’s lean-to after Renjun explains his task. “What, were you just gonna dig with your fingers? You’ve got such delicate hands, Renjunnie, I’d hate to see you break a nail.” Jaemin winks and smiles easily, though Renjun still spies the tightness in his eyes belying the stress from his earlier argument. 

“I would have found a way.” Renjun focuses a moment and draws some ambient energy to his palms, letting small green flames lick up his fingers. “Magic, remember?” He teases lightly, playing along.

“Ah, you can’t use magic to solve every problem! You were just going to blast eldritch fire right into the ground, weren’t you? Probably would have straight up blow up the book in the process. Aren’t you lucky to have me?”

He truly is, but Renjun still scoffs, and the two exchange playful banter all the way to the shoreline. By the time they’re picking their way over rocks and shrubbery past the town’s port, the crease in Jaemin’s brow has eased. 

As the two crest a rocky embankment overlooking a small cove, Jaemin tugs Renjun’s wrist and points. “There!” A small gap in a rocky face on the far side of the cove’s shore; Renjun would have mistaken it for a shadow without closer inspection, but that is undoubtedly the cave Krystal mentioned. Renjun pats Jaemin’s wrist in appreciation and Jaemin grins brilliantly, lacing their fingers together and letting him lead the way down. Jaemin lightly tugs Renjun back by their entwined hands before he can enter the cave. 

“Wait a sec, slow down, not all of us have magic see-in-the-dark eyeballs from our evil demon masters.” He kneels and begins leafing through his pack. “And since said demon master doesn’t believe in giving you the magic for a simple light spell, I’m gonna need a torch.”

Renjun rolls his eyes but waits patiently as Jaemin gets his torch ready. “You know, no one said you can’t try to learn some spells yourself, Jaemin, you know half the guild would be willing to try to teach you.”

Jaemin straightens and grins, torch in one hand and shovel in the other. “And why would I do that when I have you and Jeno to do all the magic for me? Besides, if I picked up any more talents, I could do all our jobs on my own and you’d be out of work. Silly Renjunnie!” 

He laughs and skips forward into the cave. Renjun makes to follow at a measured pace when Jaemin gives a stifled shout and he runs in instead, colliding with Jaemin’s back a few meters in as the rogue backs up. Renjun is about to ask what startled him when a blue light suddenly pulses softly several yards deeper in the cave. A second light appears right after, and both slowly fade before brightening again. Such a soft color… Renjun’s feet move without his knowledge, sidestepping Jaemin and moving towards the lights, only stopping when Jaemin drops his shovel with a clatter and grasps his wrist, digging in with his nails. Renjun blinks, mind no longer foggy. Ah, will-o-wisps. Or something like them. Maybe to be expected, given what occurred here. The cave must be much deeper than he assumed if the hallowed ground of the warlock’s tomb doesn’t reach this far. 

“Ah, I guess they weren’t just rumors…”

“You knew there were spirits here?” Jaemin sounds betrayed.

“I didn’t think there would be, Krystal said the locals had their stories, but Arvasian townsfolk can be such a jumpy, paranoid lot I just assumed they would just be tales.”

This explanation doesn’t soothe Jaemin at all, who is staring blankly ahead with a tensed jaw in what Renjun has come to learn is his best attempt at a poker face when confronted with his fears. Jaemin has a particular dislike of incorporeal undead— not that he likes any other type, but none provoke this much fear in him. Renjun sighs. “I’ll take care of them, just stand back. Maybe take out your special dagger just in case.”

Jaemin unstraps a dagger from his boot sheathe with a grimace; he carries it because it has a minor enchantment and that occasionally makes it useful, but always complains that the heft is wrong. Renjun thinks that it might have more to do with ostentatious flames and Chanyeolian iconography etched into the blade. Jaemin has always taken a deliberately laissez-faire approach to the divine, friendship with a paladin of Baekhyun notwithstanding. And he’s proven himself capable of wielding an assortment of unconventional objects as weaponry with deadly effectiveness in the past. He can wield this blade just fine, in any case, but he’ll definitely find reason to complain about it later. 

The pulsing lights drift closer, a third winking into view beside them. It’ll be best to finish this off fast, hopefully without Jaemin needing to do anything. He’s already going to be insufferable after this as it is. Renjun gathers his energy and lashes out with a violent gesture and a short infernal incantation, three rays of flame materializing and flinging towards the lights with the force of his motion. Only two hit their mark, the third going wide and dissipating as it hits the cave wall. None of the wisps falter, drawing close with surprising speed. As they come within blade’s reach, Renjun grounds himself and reaches out with his arms, palms open and thumbs touching. Another incantation, and a thin sheet of flame shoots out from his fingertips, washing over the floating lights. Two wink out as the flames dissipate, and as the third reaches Renjun, Jaemin darts out from behind him to slash out with his dagger. The etchings glow red as the blade slices through the ball of light, and then it too is gone. 

“Do you think there’s any more?” asks Jaemin. His voice is steady, but Renjun can sense his discomfort. 

The two gaze out into the cavern, but there are no further flickers, the only light coming from Jaemin’s flickering torch. The cavern itself bends about twenty yards away, cutting off their line of sight. Renjun shrugs. “Hard to know without Jeno to sense the way for us. There is hallowed ground somewhere in this cave, so they can’t fill the whole thing even if there are more. Maybe we could try running through? Not confronting them unless we have to and getting to the hallowed ground as quickly as possible. Then we’ll have a safe vantage point to pick off any ones that remain before we head out.”

Jaemin flips his dagger in one hand as he considers. “It’s not a plan without risks, but the faster we move the less likely we are to get surrounded, I guess. Let’s go for it. Help me tie the shovel to my back first, though, I think we’re both going to need both hands for this.”

They secure the shovel with some hemp rope and take off at the fastest clip they can manage without stumbling, Renjun taking the lead. After the first bend in the cave to the right comes another sharp turn to the left, the passage narrowing as it declines, then widening once more as the decline levels off. No more will-o-wisps have yet shown themselves, and Renjun makes the mistake of thinking they might get through undisturbed.

It’s only a few paces before another bend in the cavern when the light of the torch is snuffed out and Jaemin gasps. “Renjun!”

Renjun’s momentum carries him forward a few more steps before he can swivel around, and he feels an alien discomfort settle in his chest, joining his rising dread and panic. Hallowed ground may not stop him from entering, but there’s enough infernal magic tainting his blood that it is never a comfortable experience. Of course they’d run into trouble mere feet from safety. 

He sets his gaze on Jaemin just as a whisp materializes before the thief. Jaemin gasps again, then cries out, suddenly writhing. His eyes roll up and he collapses like a puppet with cut strings.

“Jaemin!” Renjun barely needs to focus, channeling his spell through his sudden rage and releasing with a roar of an incantation another three rays of flame. All hit their mark and the wisp is gone. Renjun races over to Jaemin’s body, grabbing his wrist and holding his other palm a few inches above his mouth. He relaxes slightly upon detecting both a pulse and a breath. There’s no injuries on him, he must have been targeted by some sort of energy drain. Renjun is about to stand and drag Jaemin to safety when he hears a sudden rush of footsteps behind him. Before he can even turn around he’s hit with crackling, blinding pain, jolting him into spasms before his vision goes black.

__

When Renjun comes to, he’s lying face-down on hard dirt ground, blindfolded and gagged with his hands tied behind his back. His fingers were interlaced before being wrapped with cloth and bound with rope, effectively denying him even the slightest room for a somatic gesture. He’s still a little bleary, but when he hears a familiar cry of pain his mind snaps to full alert. 

“Where is it, you fool!” Renjun’s blood goes icy with rage as he realizes he recognizes this voice too. He grinds his face frantically on the rough ground. The gag is too hard to displace but a moment of vigorous rubbing is enough for the cloth blindfold to slip up to his forehead. As soon as his vision is unobstructed he looks towards the sound, blinking away the dirt that got into his eyes. The cavern is lit by a mechanical lantern, casting a sickly artificial light across the scene. Jaemin is lying on his back, the arm closest to Renjun twisted unnaturally and unmoving. His second arm is raised and held at the wrist by a familiar man— the same bereaved artificer from whom they had liberated their client’s heirloom less than a day ago. He pins Jaemin down with one booted leg against his sternum, grasping his wrist tightly in a gauntleted hand. The gauntlet is sparking, and as Renjun watches the sparks grow brighter and Jaemin bites back another cry of pain. “Stop being stubborn, you worm! If you think this pain is bad, it can get so much worse for you!”

Telling Jaemin to stop being stubborn is like telling a fish to breathe out of water. The pinned rouge just spits at the man, probably aiming for his face but not making it that far. His spittle is laced blood. A cough is forced out of him as the man grinds his foot more roughly into his chest. 

“Luck is finally with me for once. You might have destroyed my workshop and taken away my best shot at revenge, but fortune has dropped you right back in my lap in my darkest hour, and I am not letting you go without getting what I need.” The man’s eyes shine with what must be madness. Renjun doesn’t think letting them go would be on this man’s agenda even if one of them did suddenly produce the heirloom. He wishes they had just put him down like a mad dog when they had the chance. He struggles with his bindings, desperate to get enough freedom of movement to cast  _ something _ . The motion draws the artificer’s attention, and his expression twists from anger into a sneer. He drops Jaemin’s wrist and lunges for Renjun, grabbing him by the throat with a gauntleted hand. “You won’t answer when I hurt you, but what about when I kill your little mage friend? It’s a terrible way to die, you know, a shock to the neck from this gauntlet. The throat muscles keep spasming, it’s incredibly painful, but you can’t draw in any air…”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a new voice rings out. Renjun finds himself relaxing slightly despite the grip on his throat. Their white knight, arriving just in time. Jeno steps out from the darkness of the tunnel passage, sword in hand, and strides purposefully past Jaemin on the ground. The artificer startles, but is quick to yank Renjun to his feet by the grip on his throat, positioning him as a human shield against the paladin, and Jeno stops short a stride away. “Come on now,” Jeno smiles, but it’s cold. “You can’t possibly think this will go your way.”

Jaemin gives a pained chuckle and speaks up, because even badly beaten and with Renjun’s life at stake he doesn’t believe in missing an opportunity to take a jab in an active argument. Renjun could throttle him. “What, are you going to tell him off again, maybe spank him this time? Bad evil man, no more forbidden blood rituals or torture and death threats!”

“No,” Jeno answers, his voice resonating unnaturally. Renjun feels his ears pop as a strange pressure builds in the chamber. Jeno spares a glance over his shoulder and Renjun sees Jaemin calm upon seeing Jeno’s eyes brightening to glow a fierce white. He focuses back on the man. “The Morning Lord is merciful and gives all a chance for rebirth and renewal. A chance to learn from their mistakes and better themselves. But those who do not take this offered mercy do not deserve another chance.” With that, he hefts his sword, now glowing as brightly as his eyes. Renjun has just a breath to realize where this is going before the blade of light passes through where he stands, leaving a vaguely unpleasant tingling and warmth in his chest. The man behind him doesn’t even cry out, just collapsing, and Jeno steadies Renjun by the shoulder before he can tumble down with him. He guides him forward a few steps before easing him to the ground and cutting his bindings. Jeno brushes a gentle hand across his face, the small lacerations across his forehead and cheekbones from getting off the blindfold closing instantly. His eyes have stopped glowing. Renjun rests his forehead in the crook of the paladin’s neck as Jeno massages his stiff wrists, taking a few deep breaths to calm down from the adrenaline of the last few minutes. 

“Not to ruin the moment or anything,” Jaemin fake coughs, “But I could use a little love here too, Jeno-ya.” Jeno chuckles and pats Renjun’s hair, waiting for him to pick his head up and nod before he walks over to Jaemin. 

“Lie back down, you idiot,” he says fondly. He places one palm over Jaemin’s forehead, then carefully grasps his uninjured arm and brings it to his own face, clasping his hand and pressing the back of it to his lips. He closes his eyes and mutters a prayer, and Jaemin groans softly as divine energy travels through his body to knit up his wounds. 

Renjun takes the time to actually examine their surroundings now that they aren’t in danger. He can feel the background irritation that means they’re on hallowed ground, and are in what must be the end of the cave system, the only path out being the same passage Jeno arrived through. A small pile of Jaemin’s knives lie in the center of the cavern beside the shovel. There is a small and out of place patch of flowers against the far wall, along with an inscription in the stone. He walks over to read it.

_ Here lies Burah, hero and friend. She deserved a far better end than she bargained for. We hope she will be free to rest in peace. _

If she had bartered with Luna for her soul, it’s unlikely she ever will. Renjun sneaks a peek back at his companions. Jaemin seems to be fully healed now, and the two sit with their heads close together, talking softly. Hopefully making amends. 

Leaving them to it, Renjun grabs the shovel and starts on the task that actually brought him here in the first place, digging into the flower bed. Luck is on his side and it’s only a foot or so deep that he digs up a canvas sack. The body is deeper, but Burah’s companions had thankfully separated out the personal effects. Renjun tosses aside the shovel and examines the bag’s contents. Mostly trinkets, probably of some sort of personal significance, but more importantly there is a leather-bound burgundy tome. He pulls it out and tosses the rest of the sack back into the hole. He looks up as Jeno steps beside him, wearing the expression he usually has when he doesn’t approve of what Renjun or Jaemin are doing but doesn’t think it’s bad enough to argue over. Jaemin seems to have finished strapping his blades back in place and has bee-lined to the artificer's corpse.

“Fucker has to have something on him that got him past the spirits.” Jaemin is patting down the body methodologically, setting things of interest aside as he comes to them. A coin pouch starts the pile, joined by a small journal. He pauses when he pulls a pendant from the man’s neck, holding it to the light as he examines it. “Probably this. I’ll ask Doyoung when we get back.” Jaemin has strangely good intuition when it comes to magical items for someone with no magic of their own, but Renjun has stopped questioning it. Sometimes Jeno will challenge him but Jaemin’s been right so many times he might have gotten tired of eating crow. 

Jeno just chuckles and shakes his head, nudging Renjun with his shoulder and looking meaningfully towards the tome in his hands.

“For Krystal. She asked me to get the fallen warlock’s grimoire for her, since she couldn’t cross the hallowed ground to fetch it herself.”

Jeno lets out a low “ah” of understanding. Renjun can tell there’s more he wants to say so he stays silent. It takes a few moments before Jeno speaks up again. “Burah… she was pacted to another demon, wasn’t she? Pacted at the price of her soul, and her patron cashed in earlier than she expected.”

Renjun can tell what he’s not saying. “I’ve told you, before, how it came to be that I pacted to Krystal.” Jeno was, in fact, the very first person he told. Jaemin was the second. No one else has ever gotten the full story, though most of the guild knows some of it. Renjun had been far too young, desperate to do anything to survive and avenge his family. He does not regret it.

“Her price was blood, not my soul. Even now, her price has not gone higher than performing tasks at her beck and call. I’m sure she’ll probably press some claim on my soul when I do pass—“ Jeno grabs his hand and Renjun reminds himself that Jeno does not share his idea of humor. “—But it’s not the same as Luna had claim to this warlock’s soul to capture how and when she pleased. She won’t take me away from you suddenly. We may end up in different places when our times do come, but we have so much time, together, now. It doesn’t pay to worry that far ahead.”

Jeno is silent, still frowning, but he just rests his head on Renjun’s shoulder instead of arguing. A mournful groan draws their attention back towards Jaemin. He’s examining the artificer’s gauntlet with a dramatic pout. “I think you broke it with your smitey magic, Jeno. What a shame…”

“Hmm, yeah, I think maybe that’s enough of that.” Jeno stands, dusts the dirt from his knees and walks over to the corpse. “I think you’ve gotten all the useful tidbits you’re going to. If you don’t mind?”

Jaemin tips an imaginary hat and backs off with his small collection of loot. Jeno kneels before the corpse and grasps his holy symbol as he begins to pray softly. He draws his other hand over the man’s face, soothing the lids to close over destroyed eyes, then trailing down to his chest. He begins to trace out symbols over the man’s heart. It’s only when his fingers begin to shake while drawing the fourth or fifth rune that Renjun realizes he is crying. He kneels beside his friend, soothing a hand down his back, Jaemin joining him on Jeno’s opposite side a moment later. Jeno finishes drawing out the symbol then turns to Renjun and buries his face into his chest.

“I failed, Renjunnie… I thought I was saving him yesterday, but I just put you and Jaemin in danger. Why couldn’t I save him?”

“You’re an amazingly pure person, Jeno. But not everyone deserves your mercy. Some of us aren’t pure at all, and never will be.” Jeno lifts his head and opens his mouth to speak, but Renjun presses his head back down before he can, hushing him. “I’m not a good person, Jeno. I don’t have good motivations, and I rarely do good things. But being around you, you give me the opportunity to do the only good I ever will. You have so much light, Jeno, and I mean your light, not your god’s. I want to protect your light, and I will, no matter what it takes. So please don’t cry for him, Jeno. He wasn’t worthy of your radiance, and killing him was truly the greatest mercy you could grant him. His soul might find peace somewhere if your god wills it. I would never have granted him any such chance.”

“Renjunnie’s right, Nono. You’re full of too much light for this to cast a shadow on you. You gave him the opportunity to change, but he didn’t take it. You did your best, and you did well. You saved us.”

The three sit for several moments in silence as Jeno composes himself, Renjun playing with his hair and Jaemin stroking his back. They rise when he does, and walk together back through the cave using the artificer’s mechanical lantern to light the way. There’s no more will-o-wisps, either by luck or by Jeno’s doing. 

When they emerge, the sun has fully breached the horizon, illuminating the small cove and the demon within it. Krystal sits on a large rock in her human form, picking at her nails. She brightens when they emerge and stands.

“Let’s see the goods, darling.” She beckons Renjun towards her with nails too long to be called anything but claws. He goes easily, shooting a quick glance to Jaemin, who nods. Jaemin presses himself to Jeno’s side, offering comfort but also ready to restrain him in the event the paladin decides one of the queens of hell is not too far above his weight class. Jeno is visibly tense.

Renjun hands over the book and Krystal eagerly leafs through it. “Aha!” She declares with triumph, tearing a page from the binding. “Just what I hoped for! You always come through for me, Junnie!” She tousles his hair and smacks a loud kiss to his forehead. Renjun hears the metal of Jeno’s armor clank as he takes an aborted step forward.

“My pleasure as always… now if you don’t mind?”

“Why in such a rush? I haven’t even rewarded you yet,” she purrs and snaps the book shut. “Let me see your book of shadows, dearest.” Renjun does as bidden, pulling out his small black tome and offering it to her. She traces over the cover with a nail, then snaps and the book dissolves into green flame. Renjun can’t stop the panicked swoop of his heart as it vanishes, but he knows better than to show his unease. “That’s just not good enough for you anymore. This one will serve you much better.” She lifts the burgundy tome to her lips then holds it out for him. He takes it and presses the cover to his own lips, shuddering as he feels the new pact magic take hold, new possibilities swirling into his mind. This one will serve him better, she’s right.

Krystal laughs. “See, no reason to ever doubt me. This one is far better. It’s even got a light cantrip inscribed too.” She directs that last part with a wink to Jaemin, who has on his best poker face. Jeno does not; his disgust is blatant in his sneer. “Well I see I’ve overstayed my welcome. Nice to see you too, little champion, little thief! Bye Junnie, I’ll let you know when I need your service again!” With a wink, she vanishes, leaving a trace scent of sulphur. 

Jaemin sighs loudly. “Wow Renjun, couldn’t you have warned us that your sugar mommy was going to show up in person for the book? My constitution is too weak to deal with all these ghosts and demons in one morning.” He fans himself dramatically.

Renjun shrugs. “She does what she pleases. I wasn’t expecting it either, but this was a nice gift.” He tucks his new grimoire away, planning to study it over when they return to the guild. Jeno comes up besides his as he straightens.

“Renjun.” Jeno’s eyes are bright and full of steel, glinting with a hint of divine light. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but I need you to know. I will save you.”

Jeno is many things, including very predictable. Renjun doesn’t need saving, but Jeno will never understand it. He pats Jeno on the shoulder rather than committing to any sort of response. There’s been enough arguing in their party to fill a week’s quota, and if Jeno and Jaemin have made amends it’s not worth it to force the rogue to pick a side in a new conflict. “We should head out from here. If we make good time, maybe we’ll actually be able to sleep in our own beds within a fortnight.”

Jaemin whines mournfully. “I haven’t slept all night! I’m exhausted!” He pouts at Jeno. “Can you carry me, my big strong paladin?”

“You’re a lot heavier than you look, Nana,” he replies, bit but is already crouching to let him clamber onto his back. He’s wearing his trademark smile again, which Renjun has sorely missed in all this emotional turbulence. 

Renjun laughs softly as Jeno staggers for a few steps before getting used to the added weight. All and all it’s been a messy job, but as long as they all make it through alright it’s fine. He starts off behind his companions, content to watch their backs as they quibble teasingly. He’s strong enough to protect them from whatever dangers might face them along their travels, and will do whatever it takes to become strong enough to protect them from anything they might face in the future. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Please leave me a kudos or a comment if you enjoyed! I do have other stories in the works for this universe, featuring more NCT members, though they will likely be slow to finish.  
> [Here's my twitter!](https://twitter.com/hyuckaboo)


End file.
